The Welsh Government has demanded S4C cancel a repeat of an episode of Welsh soap opera Pobol y Cwm scheduled for tonight - because of its portrayal of the government policy on badgers.

The Welsh Government has demanded S4C cancel a repeat of an episode of Welsh soap opera Pobol y Cwm scheduled for tonight - because of its portrayal of the government policy on badgers.

A spokesman for the Welsh Government confirmed that it had made an official complaint to the BBC and S4C about a “serious breach” of BBC and Ofcom guidelines in a storyline about tuberculosis in cattle.

The government believes last night’s episode of the Welsh language soap breached the public broadcasters’ duty of impartiality and have asked for tonight’s repeat - scheduled for 6.30pm - be cancelled.

But the Liberal Democrats said it was “astonished” that the the government could get “het up” about a soap opera, and compared its actions to that of Thick of It spin doctor Malcolm Tucker. The Welsh Government has also come under fire from Plaid Cymru and the Tories.

And S4C has refused to pull the repeat.

A Welsh Government spokesman told WalesOnline: "Following last night's episode of Pobol y Cwm, we have made an official complaint to the BBC and S4C following what we believe to be a serious breach of BBC and Ofcom guidelines. We have asked the BBC and S4C to take swift action to address our concerns.

"The BBC's editorial guidelines are clear that programmes are expected to ensure that 'controversial subjects' are treated with due impartiality in all their output. We do not believe this to be the case in this instance.

“The BBC's guidelines also state that organisations criticised in programming should be given a ‘right of reply’, that is, given a fair opportunity to respond to the allegations.’ In this case, the Welsh Government was not afforded a right of reply."

The episode concerned continues a storyline featuring a couple running a farm worried that TB had returned to their farm.

The episode features a character which goes on a local radio station, Cwm FM, to voice her frustrations with the badger policy.

Among the Welsh Government’s complaints were that she said the government “didn’t have the backbone” to sort the problem out and that badgers were a “plague” and should all be shot.

A character also says that someone had to attack the government's record, adding: “They don’t care about rural areas. There aren’t enough votes here”.

Peter Black, the Liberal Democrat spokesman for Heritage said: “I am astonished that the Welsh Labour Government can get so het up about a soap opera that they start to throw their weight about in an effort to get the show pulled. Clearly they have no respect for the concept of free speech and artistic integrity.

“They are acting like old-style bullies, it is as if Malcolm Tucker from ‘The Thick of It’ has decamped to Cardiff Bay.”

Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, Antoinette Sandbach AM, said: "This is a farcical government request that should be treated with the contempt it deserves. I’m still checking my calendar to makes sure it’s not April Fool’s Day.

"Is this what state control of the media looks like – pulling a TV show because it doesn’t agree with the government? It’s laughable.

"It is my understanding that this show was, in the main, balanced. Either way, Labour voted for a cull in 2011 anyway. It was only when the minister did a spectacular U-turn that they changed their minds.

"I urge ministers to get a grip and apologise to S4C for this blatant disregard to their editorial independence."

Plaid Cymru AM Simon Thomas said: "S4C should not have to withdraw this episode.

"From what I’ve seen from the episode it was a perfectly natural response to a topic that’s been talked about in many homes in Wales. As you’d expect from Pobl y Cwm as a Welsh soap opera, it reflects what has been discussed up and down Wales.

"I hope that the Welsh Government has second thoughts. It’s the last thing that you want on the day that we’re discussing the Leveson report and the freedom of the press is a government trying to say what should be the content of a TV programme."

It follows a decision by the Environment Minister John Griffiths to shelve a plan to cull badgers to stem the problem of TB in cattle, electing to approve a programme of vaccinations against TB instead.

His decision provoked criticism from farming leaders at the time - and the National Farmers’ Union Cymru criticising the vaccination policy last month as “folly”.

S4C’s director of content, Dafydd Rhys told WalesOnline: "S4C has now received a copy of the Welsh Government's complaint to the BBC regarding a storyline on last night’s Pobol y Cwm.

"We are satisfied that the drama includes a variety of viewpoints which reflect the public debate about plans to eradicate Bovine TB.

"Last night's episode will be repeated as planned this evening at 6.30pm on S4C, and is available to watch on demand on Clic."

A spokeswoman for BBC Cymru Wales said: "We take all complaints very seriously. We are aware of this complaint and are currently looking into it."

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